Wheeled gun carriage



vMarch 6, 1962 J. N. E. SUNDSTRGM 3,023,674

WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23. 1959 INVENTOR IJohn Nlls Erp a u undstrom ATTORNEY March 6, 1962 J. N. E. SUNDSTRCM3,023,674

WHEELED GUN CARRIAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25. 1959 INVENTOR JohnNils Emagye%5qndstr6m (22 4WW/ (WTORNEY 3,023,674 WHEELED GUN CGE JohnNils Emanuel Sundstriim, Sundsvall, Sweden, as-

signor to Fiirsvarets fabriksstyrelse (Directorate of DefenceFactories), Stockholm, Sweden Filed Mar. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 801,213Claims priority, application Sweden Dec. 17, 1958 1 Claim. (Cl. 89-40)The invention described below refers to a vehicular gun carriageconstruction in connection with wheeled gun carriages, especially fornon-recoiling guns, equipped with one pair of support wheels cradled inswinging arms with torsion bar spring suspension.

One objective of the invention is the designing of a carriage of thistype which makes possible the fast and effective adapting of the fireheight-level to the topographical variations of the terrain in orderthat the gun and its crew always expose the smallest possible targetarea to the enemy. One additional objective of the invention is to makepossible the fast adapting of the fire height-level by the gunner whenbeing in firing position.

The invention is principally characterized by the fact, that the torsionbars are arranged to be given an adjustable torsional setting at theirun-rotatably fixed ends by a joint device for turning said ends, thesetting changing the height level of the carriage in relation to thewheel-pair. Further characteristics may be that the device for turningsaid ends is constituted by a worm gear in which the hub of the screwwheel non-turnably receives the ends of the torsion bars and that thedevice for turning said ends is arranged in a center plane between thewheels and that it is manually adjustable e.g. by means of a ratchetwrench.

The invention is described in detail by means of the attached drawing inwhich FIG. 1 shows a side view of a carriage according to the invention,equipped with a non-recoiling gun and with one wheel removed. FIG. 2shows a front view of carriage with gun and FIG. 3 shows, partly insection, a schematic plan view of the carriage seen from above.

The carriage is provided with a gunner platform 1 that carries in alaterally turnable way a vertically extending pivot support yoke 2supported on an upturned pin (not shown). At the upper end, the supportyoke constitutes a hold for a ball joint means 3 in and under which thefiring tube 4 of the non-recoiling gun is mainly balanced and suspended.Immediately in front of the pivot yoke 2 the firing tube 4 is equippedwith a firing grip or fire control means 5 directed downwards andobliquely to the right, and slightly further in front of'the firing gripor control portion there is a grip 6 of a firing tube aiming means, saidgrip 6 being directed downwards and obliquely to the left which gripoperates a ball joint brake (not shown) that when disengaged holds theball joint 3 in a braked position. If the grip 6 is actuated the balljoint 3 is released enabling the gunner to point the firing tube 4towards the target with aid of sight and head. A transportation lock 7(not shown in detail) is provided for the locking of the firing tube inthe pivot yoke when the piece is under transportation or being moved.The gunner platform 1 may be supported e.g. in the horizontal positionby means of a supporting leg articulated with the platform or a draw barmeans 8 the inclination of which towards the ground is adjustable at thelink 9.

The carriage platform 1 is provided with a pair of support wheels 10which include inwardly extending stub axles 10 that are cradled torotate on the one end of swinging arms 11. The other end of these armscarry rotary bearing elements 12 fixed to the ends of the arms 11 and3,623,674 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 which are supported so at to permit arotation in the ends of tubes 13 mounted in the interior of the platform1, to provide a fixed support for the outer ends of torsion bars 14located in the tubes 13, which torsion bars constitute a springsuspension for the carriage wheels 10 by the inner ends of the torsionbars 14 being braced against torsional movement.

The carriage platform 1 is arranged to be adjustable in the verticaldirection in order that the firinglevel of the gun be variable. For thispurpose an irreversible worm gear 16 and a vertically extending drivegear 17 is centrally provided in the interior of the platform 1. Thetubes 13 are integral with a gear housing 15 and the inner ends of thetorsion bars 14, which ends are braced against torsional movement, areun-rotatably inserted from each side in a fixed position into the hub ofthe worm gear 16 rotatably journaled in the gear housing 15. The drivegear 17 vertically mounted in the gear housing is in meshed engagementwith the worm Wheel 16 and protrudes with a square end above theplatform 1 immediately in front of the shaft pin of the pivot yoke 2. Bymeans of an adjustable ratchet wrench 18 with reversible ratchet (notshown) drive gear 17 can be turned in either direction. While lyingprone and firing the piece, the upper body and the elbows of the gunnerrest on the platform 1. The right hand holds the firing grip while thearm encircles the base of the pivot yoke 2. The left hand may operatethe grip 6 engaging the ball joint brake. When the firing level is to bevaried to adapt the gun to the terrain the gunner seizes, withoutotherwise changing position, the ratchet wrench 18 and turns by means ofthe wrench the worm gear 17 in either direction. This turning motion istransferred via the worm wheel 16 and the torsion bars 14 to theswinging arms 11 which raise or lower the carriage platform 1 and as aresult, the gun 4, in relation to the wheels 10. When the inner ends ofthe torsion bars 14 are given a turning movement through rotative actionof the screw wheel 16, this turning movement is transferred to the outerends of the torsion bars and to the bearings 12 and from these hearingsto the arms 11. The wheels 10, rotative on the outer ends of the arms11, are ground-supported at this time. Every turning, as abovedescribed, of the swinging arms 11 in relation to the platform 1 willthus raise or lower the platform 1 in relation to the wheels.

I claim:

A vehicular gun carriage comprising a pair of spaced support wheelsincluding coaxial, spaced stub axles, a pair of elongated arms securedat one end to said stub axles and extending rearwardly therefrom, a gearhousing disposed between the other ends of said arms and includingintegral, elongated coaxial tubes terminating in spaced relation fromopposed inner surface portions of said arms, bearing elements in theterminal ends of said tubes, said bearing elements including stub shaftsprojecting beyond the terminal ends of said tubes and fixed to saidarms, elongated torsion bars disposed axially in said tubes and fixed atone end to said bearing elements, a worm gear disposed between the otherends or said torsion bars and fixed thereto, a vertically disposed drivegear meshed with said worm gear for adjusting said arms about the stubaxles on said wheels, said drive gear including an upper,gunner-operated lever means, a gunner platform fixed to said tubes anddisposed substantially horizontally below said lever means forpermitting a gunner to lie prone thereon and have ready access to saidlever means for adjusting said platform vertically with respect to saidwheel stub axles, draw bar means extending from said platform andincluding a depending support portion for engaging a support surface, avertically disposed support yoke journaled I.) "8' on said platform,said yoke including ball joint means cess and engagement by a gunnerdisposed in a prone for suspending a firing tube above said platform, afiring firing position on said platform. tube mounted on said ball jointmeans and extending substantially normal to the stub axles and abovesaid References Cited 111 the file of thls Patent glatfornbforunidversal aldjustianent fiduring aiznirlig, said 5 UNITED STATESPATENTS rmg u e mcu mg a epen mg rmg con ro means adjacent said levermeans immediately above said plat- 5 i 2 form for ready access to agunner lying in a prone posi- 2566393 f tion on said platform, andfiring-tube aiming control 26O0462 B 0 e means including an adjustmentcontrol portion depending 1O 2631466 2 32; n 2

from said firing-tube above said platform for ready ac-

